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Placing Graffiti: Creating and Contesting Character in Inner-city Melbourne
Types of Graffiti As discussed in the article, there are several different methods of graffiti for artists and vandals alike to use. Each type has its benefits and disadvantages and all of them are used for different purposes. Whether these purposes are for ease of application, methods of conveying one's message or for artistic purposes. Tags This style is the simplest form of graffiti. Also sometimes called a "scribble," this method is much like the artist's signature. If can also be a crew's signature if the artist is associated with a crew. Done normally in a contrasting color to the background, it is mostly done as one short word, a name, a street name or verb. The lettering is commonly very smooth in some places and bouncy or broken up in others. Can be viewed at the top of a University of Illinois parking garage, top floor on the outside of the northeast stairwell. Champaign, Illinois. Throw-Ups These are pieces that use few paint colors to very quickly apply a tag or message. They will either fill in the piece with all one color or use the background as the fill-in, almost like bubble letters. These are also often done in "bombs" or large scale graffitiing of one area because they are quick and very simple. These are works that can be done quickly and repeatedly. Stickers Extremely quick and easy way to throw up a tag. May be considered lazy in some circumstances. They are favored by artists because these pieces can be thought out and created in the artist's time and thrown up quickly and efficiently Stencils Popularized by artists such as Bansky, stencils are made by the artist with cardboard, paper or a similar opaque material. They are quite complex pieces that can be easily recreated and can be applied with either spray or roll on paint. This medium has been used for messages ranging from political to simply attempting to beautify the urban area. These pieces can two or three layers deep to create a more intricate image. Can be seen in the form of a penguin stencil at the Illini Media Building on Green Street, Champaign, Illinois. Paste-Ups This method has a similar look to stencils, as it is a paper piece that is then applied to the wall or structure with paste, commonly wallpaper paste. This is used among groups of graffiti artists trying to cover one area with a large amount of media at once Slogans Much like they are in consumer's lives, slogans are a simple phrase attempting to make a big statement. They can be made through tags, throw ups, stencils or paste ups. Their primary purpose is to send a clear message to the viewer. Pieces The most complicated form of graffiti, pieces often incorporate several of the above methods and terms. Several paint colors and other artistic effects, this is a form of art. Pieces are more time consuming that other methods of graffiti and therefore more honorable among the community of artists. To view a series of pieces, there is a growing wall at Race and Main Streets in Urbana, Illinois. Other Notable Terminology Back to Back Refers to when a canvas is covered by art from different artists. Also related, end to end, referring to trains, when a freight train is covered with graffiti from end to end. Crew This refers to the members of a groups a graffiti artists who work together to complete works. Can also be spelled in similar sounding ways such as "krew" or "cru." Heaven Spots When a graffiti artist paints a work on a high up or hard to reach area, because these are closer to heaven. Heaven Spot work can be viewed from Wright Street looking North at the top of the buildings at the southwest corner of Wright and Green Street, in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Massacre This is the term used when a wall is reclaimed by the owner or local authorities and painted over. Scribe When graffiti is made using a sharp object to etch one's tag or message into a wall. Can be seen in the Red Lion women's bathrooms, at Third and Green Street, Champaign, Illinois. Wildstyle Not only is this the name of a character in the 2014 movie The Lego Movie" but is also refers to highly-stylized, often three-dimensional, and hard to read graffiti, commonly seen as a tag. They were developed and popularized in New York City. References http://weburbanist.com/2009/09/24/graffiti-designs-styles-tagging-bombing-painting/ =